Tiny houses are being hailed as an affordable answer for big cities — and are so trendy that they even warrant their own HGTV show. Their boosters promote them as the solution to problems ranging from homelessness to environmental waste to the housing crunch.

Yet opposition to their incorporation stretches from Charlotte to Bend, Ore. And it’s not only in urban areas that tiny homes are met with hostility. Many suburban communities are also using any means possible, including planning commissions and zoning laws, to prevent small, mobile housing units from gaining a toehold.